Photo. (c) 2021 GVI/SPGA.
Genus: Pomacentridae (Damselfish)
Scientific Name: Amphiprion akallopisos
English Name: Skunk clownfish
Creole Name:
French Name: Poisson-clown mouflette
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC)
Description:
Dorsal spines: 3; Dorsal rays: 25-27; Anal rays: 24-25.
Greyish to greenish brown dorsally, with small pale spots. Whitish ventrally with yellow spots that can coalesce to form a reticulum particularly posteriorly. 3 large
oval white spots along the back and a small one dorsally on caudal peduncle; a broad white streak often on side of body posterior to upper end of gill opening. White
blotches and mid-lateral stripe can disappear with growth. An oblique groove before the eye; large bony scales behind gill opening. Caudal peduncle depressed, slender
and tapering. Yellow bands on dorsal and anal fins. Caudal fin, yellow with white bars and stripes pattern and diffuse black margin, double emarginate, lobes longer
with growth.
Size:
Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 60cm TL
Habitat and Ecology:
Reef associated. Inhabits mud and silt sand bottoms (depth 7-350m), usually 7-100m depth on sand, sponge, and weed bottoms. Feeds on benthic animals, including crabs,
molluscs and sea urchins. Juveniles in sheltered coastal bays and estuaries.
Fishery Status:
This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in both the fish trap and hand line fisheries and is, along with Sufflamen fraenatum,
the most commonly caught triggerfish in the artisanal fishery.
Notes:
Abalistes stellaris is a synonym for this species.
References:
Bray, D.J. (2018). Abalistes stellatus in Fishes of Australia, http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/759 (30/10/18).
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. (2018). FishBase https://www.fishbase.de/summary/abalistes-stellatus (30/10/18)
Matsuura, K. (2015). Taxonomy and systematics of tetraodontiform fishes: a review focusing primarily on progress in the period from 1980 to 2014. Ichthyol Res (2015)
62:72–113 DOI 10.1007/s10228-014-0444-5
Matsuura, K. & Motomura, H. (2015). Abalistes stellatus. The IUCN Red List 2015: e.T193587A56996805. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/193587/56996805 (18/06/22). .
Matsuura K, Yoshino T (2004). A new triggerfish of the genus Abalistes (Tetraodontiformes: Balistidae) from the western Pacific. Rec Aust Mus 56:189-194
Smith, M & Heemstra, P Eds. (1999). Smiths’ Sea Fishes Edition 6. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 10.1007/978-3-642-82858-4
Citation:
Nevill, J.E.G. & Mason-Parker, C. (2019). Abalistes stellatus, Starry triggerfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/abalistes-stellatus-anonymous-1798/ (updated 18/06/22).
Description:
Dorsal spines: 8-9; Dorsal rays: 17-20; Anal spines: 2; Anal rays: 12-14.
Light orange coloured clownfish, with a single, narrow, white stripe running from the mouth to the caudal peduncle.
Size:
Maturity: Unknown. Max length: 11.0 cm SL.
Habitat and Ecology:
Found in shallow inshore reef habitats, often in strong current zones (depth 1-25m). Protandrous hermaphrodites. Each pair is monogamous. This species is a commensal
inhabitant of sea anemones (Heteractis magnifica and Stichodactyla mertensii). Each anemone is home to a large female, a smaller functional male and several stunted juveniles; with the removal of the female, the male changes
sex and the largest of the juveniles develops into a functional male. Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate. Males guard and aerate the eggs.
Studies have shown that it is the female that defends the anemone using sound production, as well as a physical charge when other fishes attempt to enter. A. akallopisos
exhibit three different types of sounds, pops, short chirps, and long chirps, used depending on the type and duration of the encounter.
Fishery Status:
This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is not subject to current fishing methods.
Notes:
Photos. Courtesy and (c) 2021 of GVI/SPGA.
References:
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. (2022). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Amphiprion-akallopisos.html (19/06/22).
iNaturalistUK. Skunk Anemonefish (Amphiprion akallopisos). https://uk.inaturalist.org/taxa/154702-Amphiprion-akallopisos (19/06/22).
Myers, R. et al. (2017). Amphiprion akallopisos. The IUCN Red List 2017: e.T188538A1889747. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T188538A1889747.en. (19/06/22).
Citation:
Nevill, J.E.G. (2022). Amphiprion akallopisos, Skunk clownfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/amphiprion-akallopisos-bleeker-1853/
There are no comments